Sage in Vegas: A Worthy Splurge

From France to Lebanon to South Africa, a fascinating vinous journey to begin our Vegas vacation. Enhancing the experience, the wines accompanied compelling dishes, creating a superb culinary evening.

Dinner at the Sage restaurant in the Aria Hotel.

While deciding on which restaurants to patronize while in Vegas, my good friend Adam recommended Sage. He had dined there previously and couldn't rave about his experience enough. I trust his palate and had also read some other very positive reviews of Sage, so we decided to dine there one evening. Due to scheduling issues, we ended up going to Sage on our first evening in Vegas, and the experience set a high bar for the rest of the trip. It was a top notch dinner, with excellent wines and attentive service. A perfect choice.

Sage serves "contemporary American cuisine spiced with global influences" and includes "farm-to-table produce, artisanal meats and sustainable seafood.." Chef Shawn McClain, who also owns the Green Zebra in Chicago, is originally from San Diego. He has spent much of his culinary career in Chicago, and opened Sage in Vegas in 2009. This is a high-end restaurant, with an elegant ambiance that avoids being pretentious. The restaurant's initial dining area, which is a bit more casual, also has a lengthy bar, while the second dining area is the more elegant.

The food menu has several options, from a la carte choices to a few different tasting menus. There is a three-course Early Evening Menu ($59), a four-course Signature Tasting Menu ($89) and an eight-course Chef's Tasting Menu ($150). On the a la carte menu, you will find Starters (9 choices at $16-$27), Salads (3 choices at $18-$24), Steaks & Braises (4 choices at $41-59), Lighter Meats (3 choices at $37-$44), and Pasta & Seafood (4 choices at $41-$44). There were no Specials on the evening we dined, but the menu has plenty of interesting choices.

The wine list at Sage was intriguing and diverse, and the prices were not outrageous. We spoke with the Master Sommelier, Nick Hetzel, and he was knowledgeable, personable and passionate. The list he composed has some big names, but also some intriguing, lesser known, but still excellent, wines. This is clearly a restaurant which has a passion for wine, and which wine lovers will cherish.

We started off with the Catherine et Pierre Breton "Le Dilettante" Vouvray Brut, a sparkling wine from the Loire. The winery is certified organic and is also seeking Biodynamic certification. Made in the méthode traditionnelle, this wine is produced from 100% Chenin Blanc, the vines which are about 40 years old. Dry and compelling, there were delicious tastes of peach and apple, with hints of citrus, spice and an underlying minerality. It was clean and refreshing, an excellent way to begin our meal, and a wine I would recommend to any lover of bubbly.

I began my dinner with the Roasted Veal Sweetbreads ($18), which come with glazed bacon, creamy white polenta and trumpet mushrooms. Who wouldn't love that large, thick slab of glazed bacon atop the dish? Tender and flavorful, it went well with the slightly crunchy coating of the sweetbreads and their moist interior. Everything in this dish was delicious and worked well together, such a delight of textures and flavors. Highly recommended.

Our second wine was the unique 2001 Chateau Musar Blanc, a Lebanese white wine. I've previously enjoyed red wines from Chateau Musar but never had one of their whites before. This wine is made from two indigenous grapes, Obaideh and Merwah, and is fermented in French oak barriques for 9 months. It is then bottled but not released until 7 years after harvest, so this wine was not released until 2008. It is a slightly oxidized style, and I loved it. More full bodied, it possessed a complex melange of flavors which intrigued my palate. Notes of honey and apricot, smoke and caramel, citrus and pear. Each sip seemed to bring new flavors to mind, and it evolved over the course of the dinner, getting more intriguing as the night went on. Highly recommended, and this wine appears to be available in Massachusetts through Ruby Wines.

For my second course, I chose a Melon Salad (which is not listed on their online menu) with thin strips of pork belly as well as strips of ricotta cheese. A nice combination of flavors and textures, with the fresh fruit of the melon and the saltiness of the pork belly and ricottta. A refreshing palate cleanser after the heavier dish of sweetbreads.

Our next wine was the 2012 Sadie Family Die Ouwingerdreeks Soldaat, a South African wine from the Swartland region. "Soldaat" means "soldiers" and this wine is made from 100% Grenache Noir, reminding me of some Rhône wines. The bold fruit flavors, from cherry to strawberry, were enhanced by spicy & earthy notes. It seemed both fresh and mature, an interesting dichotomy which made this a fascinating and delicious wine. Restrained tannins, a lengthy finish, and nice acidity make this another wine I highly recommend.

And a perfect pairing for the Soldaat was the Bacon-Wrapped Iberico Pork Loin ($44), with smoked apple, asparagus, and celery root panna cotta. The pork alone was wonderful, tender and rich in flavor, and the bacon only made it more hedonistic. This is one of their signature dishes and I understand its popularity. A fine entree which is going to satisfy any pork lover.

The Dessert menu has 8 choices, priced $14-$20, and I opted for a Watermelon Mousse dish (which is not listed on their online menu).  As I wasn't taking formal notes, I am unsure what else what on this dish. I do recall though that it was tasty, with a variety of textures, from creamy to crunchy, with some savory elements too.

Overall, this was an excellent dining experience and I highly recommend Sage. Service was professional and attentive, the food was well-presented and delicious, and the wines were killer. If you are going to splurge on dinner in Vegas, Sage would be a great choice.

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming. **********************************************************
1) Legal Oysteria, Legal Sea Foods’ newest concept in Charlestown, now offers weekend lunch service. Executive Chef Rich Vellante and Restaurant Chef Gina Palmacci have designed a menu of coastal Italian-style seafood that will be served in this casual neighborhood restaurant.

For appetizers, there are eight options including: New England Clam Chowder; Charred Octopus (tomato, potato, coriander vinaigrette - $10); Braised Mussels (fideos, chorizo, red wine tomato sauce - $9); Seafood Antipasto (shrimp, squid, octopus, olives - $10.50); and, Eggplant Caponata Dip (warm focaccia - $8.50). There are also a variety of “Small Plates” ($3-5), including Chickpea & Shrimp Fritters (chorizo mayo), Smoked Salmon (dill mascarpone) and a trio of Oyster preparations (raw, grilled and baked).

From the old world brick oven with true clay-based fire bricks, three pizzas will be dished out: Margherita (fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil - $10); Roasted Clam (garlic, oregano, mozzarella, pecorino - $11); and, Sopressata (stracciatella, banana peppers, spicy red sauce - $12). Salads can come topped with a choice of grilled shrimp, swordfish, salmon or chicken and include Baby Romaine (pint nuts, dried grapes, parmigiano vinaigrette - $8) and Treviso Radicchio & Escarole (lemon anchovy dressing - $9).

There are eight entrée and pasta options, such as: Steak Sandwich (pancetta, mortadella, caciocavallo, egg, polenta fries - $15); Pan Roasted Salmon (salsa verde, marinated zucchini - $17); Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce (chickpeas and fontina, whole wheat olive toast); Cannoli Pancakes (ricotta filled crespelle, strawberries, maple syrup - $7); and, Linguini & Clams ($17). For sides, six a la carte options are offered ($3-4), including Oven Roasted Cipollini, Charred Carrots and Heirloom Bean Salad.

Legal Oysteria will be open for weekend lunch service on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 4pm.

2) On Tuesday, August 19, at 6:30pm, Legal Harborside will team up with Massimo Galvano, Italian Wine Director of Kobrand Wine & Spirits, for an exclusive four-plus-course Italian wine dinner. Kobrand’s Italian estates are renowned for their diverse and extensive terrain ranging from warm Mediterranean climates to cool hillsides and mountains which produce complex yet diverse flavors.

The menu will be presented as follows:

SFIZI
Baked Clam with Ciabatta Pancetta Crumbs
Chilled Melon Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
Black Bass Crudo with Tuscan Olive Oil
Baccala Fritter, Salsa Verde, Grilled Lemon Aioli
Michele Chiarlo “Le Marne” Gavi, Piemonte, 2013
ANTIPASTI
Grilled Octopus (Marble Potato, Braised Cipolini, Smoked Tomato, Coriander Oil)
Nozzole “La Forra” Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana, 1997
Nozzole “La Forra” Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana, 2008
PASTA COURSE
Veal Cheek Ravioli (Prosciutto-Wrapped Monkfish, Crispy Sage)
Silvio Nardi Rosso di Montalcino, Toscana, 2010
Silvio Nardi “Manachiara” Brunello di Montalcino, Toscana, 2003
SECONDI COURSE
Roasted Lamb Loin (Braised Lamb Belly, Smoked Lentils, Graffiti Eggplant, Slow Roasted Mushrooms)
Michele Chiarlo “Tortoniano” Barolo, Piemonte, 2009
Michele Chiarlo “Cannubi” Barolo, Piemonte, 2003
DOLCE
Summer Peach Torta
Amaretto Mascarpone Cream, Raspberry
Michele Chiarlo “Nivole” Moscato d’Asti, Piemonte, 2012

COST: $125 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9470

3) Executive Chef/Partner Robert Sisca and Head Sommelier Todd Lipman of Bistro du Midi present the fourth month of the five-part Summer Rosé Tour, running now through September. To celebrate the summer months and embrace the ever-growing popularity of Provencal Rosé, Bistro du Midi is offering an experience for guests to enjoy the wine and cuisine of Nice, Marseille, Toulon, Saint-Tropez, and Cannes. Guests can expect a unique Rosé to be offered by the glass and in multiple pouring sizes. These selections pair with Chef Sisca’s signature crudo selection, as well as alongside featured menu additions from Chef Sisca that embrace the regional specialties of major Provencal towns.

For August, the selection is from Toulon with Château Miraval. It includes:

--2013 Château Miraval Rosé, Côtes de Provence $13 / $19.50 / $29 / $58
--Small Plate
Brandade Beignets (Pimento Aïoli) $10
--Large Plate
Grilled Red Snapper (Arugula & White Peach Salad, Lemon Vinaigrette) $21
Both plates and a glass of rosé $39

Vegas, J Sake Bar & Mioya Yuho Yama-oroshi

While planning my trip to Las Vegas, I did some research on the best places to find Sake. As I hadn't been there in several years, I knew there had to be some new places to check out, and I found one. The J Sake Bar, located a short distance off the Strip at 4459 West Flamingo Road, has only been open since the end of April, and they do not even have a website, just a Facebook page. As such, there also is not a menu of their food or Sake online. Hopefully that will be remedied in the near future, so people can see what they carry.

The Sake bar is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 7pm-3am, and they carry over 100 different Sakes, in numerous formats from small cans to large ishobins. My friends and I stopped there after our dinner at Anriya Raku, planning to have a drink. We didn't order any food, and really didn't even consult the food menu, because we had already eaten plenty at dinner. However, I delved into the Sake list, and was pleased with the diversity I found. This is definitely a place I want to return to, and spend more time exploring the Sake list and trying some of their food. It is a place with lots of potential, though it needs to provide more information online for potential customers.

We sat at the bar and our server was personable and accommodating, making us all feel welcome. For a Thursday evening, close to midnight, it wasn't very busy though that could be because it is not well known yet. Being off the Strip, visitors to Vegas generally have to take the effort to get there, which many may not do unless they are provided sufficient reason to do so. So, such restaurants and bars need to spread the word wide and far, to gain the notice they deserve.

I chose to drink the Mioya Shuzo Yuho "Rhythm of the Centuries" Yama-oroshi Junmai Kimoto. That sounds like a mouthful, but it is rather easy to understand. Mioya Shuzo, founded in 1897, is the name of the Sake brewery and it is located in the Ishikawa Prefecture. It is especially unique as it is one of the only breweries with a female president, Miho Fujita, and she also participates in the brewing. The "Yuho" line was created to showcase Sake with bold flavors and umami, and the term means "happy rice" though it also refers to the area's frequent UFO sightings. Flying saucers & Sake?

The Sake uses Notohikari rice, that has been polished down to 55%, which would qualify it as a Ginjo though it is only labeled as a Junmai. It has a higher acidity, at 2.2, than the usual Junmai. The Sake was produced using the ancient Kimoto method, where large oar-like poles, called yama-oroshi, are continually rammed into the yeast starter to produce a paste. This is a laborious task, which is rarely performed in modern breweries, but which can create intriguing Sake, often with a more earthy or gamey taste, as well as greater umami. The Mioya brewery has been using the Kimoto method since its founding.

Most Sake is aged for six months to a year before it is released, but this Yuho is aged for about four years prior to release. This may be why the Sake is so smooth on the palate, an easy drinking liquid which goes down far too quickly. It has a powerful umami taste, with underlying elements of earthiness, some citrus flavors and even Sherry notes on the finish. Nice acidity, a lengthy finish and plenty of complexity. An excellent choice, it garners my highest recommendation and I think it will be enjoyed not only by Sake lovers, but also those new to Sake.

Good luck to the J Sake Bar!

Want Cheap, Tasty, Healthy & Sustainable Seafood? Choose Mussels

Let's crush your objections to eating more seafood. 

Last week, I provided Ten Suggestions For Less Expensive Seafood, and now I want to get much more specific, to highlight a seafood which has it all. It is inexpensive, delicious, very healthy for you, and is an excellent sustainable choice. It is the Mussel.

Mussels are bivalve molluscs, generally from the marine family Mytilidae, and may inhabit both freshwater and saltwater. There are numerous types of mussels, about 17 which are edible, including blue mussels, green-lipped mussels, and zebra mussels. Interestingly, few people now eat freshwater mussels, though the Native Americans used to eat plenty of them.

The delectable wild mussel has been consumed for thousands of years. In ancient Greece, mussel shells were used as ballots in votiing. Farmed mussels extend back at least to the 12th century, when they were cultured in the waters off the coast of France. The Pilgrims probably feasted on mussels during the first Thanksgiving, though they also fed them to pigs. In the U.S., during World War II, mussels were a common dish at diners because beef was rationed and thus rare.

Farmed mussels are one of the most sustainable forms of aquaculture, and you would be hard pressed to find any opposition to its practice. First, mussels are both easy and quick to grow, better than probably any other bivalve. Second, mussels are filter feeders, which eat algae, plankton and other microscopic sea creatures, and help to purify the water. They make the oceans cleaner which is a great benefit. Unlike many other seafoods, there isn't a worry about how much other fish are needed to feed them. And these farming operations aren't creating pollution, but instead help to clean the waters.

Mussels are also a healthy choice, one of the best seafoods you can consume. They are a good source of protein, with the added benefit of being low in calories and saturated fats. In some respects, that makes it a better choice than beef. In addition, mussels are a good source of selenium, vitamin B12, zinc and folate. Most importantly, mussels also possess a significant amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, which is important in reducing the risk of heart disease. A 3 ounce portion of mussels contains about 700 milligrams of Omega-3s, placing it high on the list of seafood with significant amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, mussels have a far less risk of mercury and PCBs. In many ways, mussels are an excellent nutritious choice and should be a regular visitor to your dinner plate.  

What do mussels cost? Are they expensive? They are actually a very affordable choice, commonly costing $2-$4 per pound, making it a good value. With the rising costs of beef, pork and chicken, it makes sense to purchase something like mussels instead. You'll get your protein, as well as all of the other benefits, from vitamins to Omega-3s. At restaurants, mussel dishes are usually inexpensive as well. Scratch off another objection.

Many people complain that it is too difficult to cook seafood, but mussels are very simple. You can steam them in only 5-10 minutes, and you know they are done when the shells have opened. It couldn't be much easier. Though you can steam them in just water, you can use any liquid, and such liquids can imbue the mussels with a diversity of flavors. Try Sake or beer, or create your own special broth. Mussels are also versatile, and can be prepared in many other methods, in all types of cuisine. For example, moules-frites, steamed mussels and French fries, is a common dish in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. I love this dish at AKA Bistro in Lincoln, as their broth is so compelling.

Another interesting bit of trivia is that you can tell the sex of your mussel based on the color of its meat. The meat of male mussels tends to have a tan color while female mussels tend to be orange. So the next time you enjoy a big bowl of mussels, try to determine their sex.

What is your favorite way to eat mussels? What restaurants have the best mussel dishes?

In 2009, the worldwide supply of farmed mussels was approximately 4 billion pounds, with China accounting for about 40%. In Europe, Spain is the leading producer of mussels. In 2010, the United States imported most of their mussels, with about 47% being imported from Canada and 42% from New Zealand. This was actually the first year that Canadian imports were greater than New Zealand. Within Canada, Price Edward Island (PEI) exports about 88% of all Canadian mussels, with Newfoundland and Nova Scotia occupying second and third place.

U.S. mussel production is only about 700,000 pounds, the majority grown in Maine with a smaller portion grown in the northwest region, especially Washington. The U.S. has much room for growth in this area, and should move forward to expand mussel aquaculture. There really is no reason why more fishermen shouldn't move in this direction. Instead of importing 91% of our seafood, we should be finding ways to produce more domestic seafood, including mussels. They are sustainable and good for the ocean.

So what are you waiting for? Go enjoy some mussels.

Rant: Strength Through Weakness In Vegas

Last week, I spent a few wonderful days on vacation in Vegas, enjoying a bounty of food, wine and Sake, as well as interacting and chatting with numerous interesting people. I traveled there with four members of my "tribe," good friends from my regular poker game including Adam Japko. As a tribe, we are close to each other, have regular contact and share a number of interests. I'm sure that all my readers belong to their own tribes too, close groups of people who share similar interests, from food to wine.

You might be a group of friendly food or wine bloggers, frequently dining out together or getting together to drink wine. When you meet, you will talk about your shared interests, however, as you all move in relatively similar circles, what you share will frequently overlap. For example, you might all read the same food news sites, so will have seen the same articles. This can lead to a relatively homogenous group, where everyone possesses the same basic information, without a significant influx of original positions and opinions. Tribes have numerous advantages, and it is a very human method of gathering, but it possesses its disadvantages as well.

While in Vegas, Adam, of Wine Zag, spoke at the Interior Design Camp, an educational conference of design professionals and aficionados, on the topic of Social Media Know-How. My friends and I attended his speech, both to support Adam as well as to hopefully learn something. In many respects, we were outside of our tribe, surrounded by hundreds of unfamiliar women and men at an interior design conference. Adam, as expected, was an excellent speaker, both witty and informative, and the audience was quite taken with his humor. Through his speech, I learned about an intriguing concept, the "weak ties."

Using his son as an example, Adam discussed how his son had a close knit group of friends, his tribe, but that his son faced confusion as to the direction of his future. In The Defining Decade, Meg Jay discussed problems with the tribe, how it can be limiting and deter originality. However, she believes that answers can be found in our weak ties, those people we know and connect with but who are more acquaintances than friends. It is actually these relationships which tend to promote more growth and change than our tribal bonds.

Meg didn't create the concept of weak ties, which is over 40 years old. In 1973, Mark Granovetter, an American sociologist published a paper titled The Strength of Weak Ties. Within our tribe, we talk through a restricted code, as we already share certain assumptions and understandings. We don't have to use as much detail or explanation, but that can be a negative. With our weak ties, our acquaintances, we must use an elaborated code, which necessarily must use much more detail and explanation, leaving less room for misunderstanding. That elaborated code can actually lead to more thoughtful discussion, delving into areas you might never have done using a more restricted code.

In addition, we tend to learn more from our weak ties than our tribe. The reason is that those within our tribe often share the same information sources, so it is more difficult to learn something new, while our weak ties often derive their information from different sources, giving us the opportunity to learn more from these different sources. Weak ties tend to lead to more innovation, more growth, and more change.

So what does all of this have to do with food and wine? Plenty. If we primarily remain within our own tribes, we can grow stagnant. We may eat at the same restaurants all the time, drink the same wines, attend the same events. We may read the same food & wine magazines and online resources. That can get boring and we likely won't learn much that is new from each other. We may not learn about new and different restaurants or wines. For example, if your tribe primarily drinks and learns about California wines, they might not learn about the wonders of Lebanese wine or Sherry. If your tribe primarily eats at restaurants in Boston, they might miss out on the wonders of specific suburban restaurants.

What we need to do is to also reach out to our weak ties, to seek out their valuable advice and suggestions, which we might not have otherwise found. If you want to expand your horizons, to learn more about food and wine, then you need to take some time to step away from your tribe and hang with your weak ties. We need to mine our weak ties for their knowledge and expertise, to learn from different sources.

The same applies if you write about food and wine. Sure, your tribe of fellow food and wine writers can be helpful in some regards, but in other respects it can be limiting. That is why a number of food and wine writers will all tend to write about the same topic at the same time. They all consult the same sources for their inspiration. However, by spending time with weak ties, you can learn about different topics and issues. Their knowledge and advice may be very helpful, and they could offer suggestions your tribe might not be able to provide. You need to be adventurous, to get out into the world and experience the realm outside your tribe. You never know what you might learn. You might discover plenty of new ideas of which to write.

For myself, while I was in Vegas, I adventured into the world of interior design, definitely a place outside of my tribe. That was a fruitful experience as I learned about the concept of weak ties, which I had not heard about before. I may have intuitively understand some of its basics, but having it become more concrete was enlightening. And having the opportunity to discuss matters with some of these interior designers was also informative. It gave me a new and different perspective, one that my tribe could not have provided.

It may feel safe to remain nestled within our food and wine tribes, surrounded by our close friends, sharing the same interests. Wouldn't you rather regularly take a chance, interacting with acquaintances, and experience new ideas? We all should seek the infusion of new ideas, and our tribes are not often the best place to seek such inspiration. There is an enormous world of food and wine out there, and your tribe will only embrace a small part of it. Seek out others, your weak ties, to expand that small part into a much larger piece.